| The Island Hotel,
a national historic treasure, is complete with old fashioned bar, good
tap beer, and lots of stories surrounding its infamous past. Another
favorite eating place is the Island Room, a stone's throw from our
condo. Both restaurants serve gourmet food and nightly specials with
fresh seafood from the Gulf waters. The Island Room makes its own pasta
and rolls to add to its already excellent menu. Both establishments have
entertainment from local musicians to enliven your dining. Cedar Key's
Dock Street offers a variety of restaurants, art and craft galleries,
and shops for your enjoyment. The best part is that all these places are
within walking distance from the Sandpiper, so you need never get back
in your car! Step back in time and explore....By Land or By Sea By
Land... There are several ways to see Cedar Key. You can rent a golf
cart, a bicycle, or a scooter right in town or you can take a walking
tour. Second Street is the town's historic main-drag. As you travel
along you will see buildings of wood and tabby (mix of mortar and
sea-shells) and architectural styles with gables and verandas and
facades reminiscent of an old western town. The street is a collage of
private dwellings, lodgings, hotels, bed and breakfasts, and shops. Its
an eclectic mix of old and new, peeling and painted, run-down and
restored, all lending to the charm of this village on Florida's Nature
Coast. By Sea... Imagine gliding across the water's surface with
seabirds and dolphins cavorting above and below you; paddling slowly
towards a bald eagle's nest to get a glimpse of the magnificent bird; or
walking on a trail where early American's lived hundreds of years ago. |
It's easy to explore
the natural history and ecology of the region in and around Cedar Key.
The convergence of the Suwannee River and the Gulf of Mexico create a
unique system of tidal salt marshes, estuaries, mangrove islands, and
mud flats. Vast expanses of marsh grasses converge with tracts of
forests and hammocks. The salt marshes, tidal flats, and mangroves are
important nursery grounds for fish, shrimp, and shellfish. Thirteen
islands of the archipelago are protected as the Cedar Key National
Wildlife Refuge. Many are covered by evergreen foliage of the live oak,
cabbage palm, red bay, and laurel oak; these trees form an over-story
for the greenery of the cherry laurel, saw palmetto, yaupon, wild olive,
prickly pear cactus, Spanish bayonet, and the eastern red cedar. The
islands range in size from 1 to 65 acres and rank as one of the largest
bird nesting areas in all of Florida. Many of these birds are protected
by state and federal law including white ibis, brown pelicans, snowy
egrets, bald eagles, ospreys, tri-colored herons, and American
oystercatchers. This group is part of the over 250 species of birds that
inhabit the refuge islands. The Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge
contains archeological evidence of early American native settlements and
fishing grounds. There are also hiking trails and the ranger station
offers information and assistance for visitors. Most of the natural
areas of the region are accessible by boat, kayak, on foot, or by short
car rides. Island Industries The eastern red cedar trees provided the
resource for the Faber Pencil Company to build their factory on Cedar
Key early in this century. The Cedar Key Historic Museum has exhibits to
show how pencils were produced. The museum also houses displays of past
industries such as broom-making, lumbering, and fish and shellfish
harvesting. The wealth of natural resources brought the first railroad
across the state along with an early thriving tourist industry. The sea
has always provided sustenance for islanders. As the fishing industry
changed, residents began raising clams in the early 1990's. Cedar Key is
one of the few remaining working waterfronts in Florida. Many families
make their living from the sea as the islands waters are one of the best
places in North America to farm raise clams. Let Cedar Key become your
island in the Sea of Life!! |
